Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation
The Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Columbia, South Carolina. Its most recent filing on record is for 2021, with no filings since; it therefore appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation gave $1.2M across 51 grants in 2021 (avg $23K), mostly in South Carolina. Source: 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2021)
- $1,186,600
- +9.9% vs 2020
- Grants made (2021)
- 51
- -1.9% vs 2020
- Average grant
- $23,267
- +12.1% vs 2020
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $9,192,259
- -3.5% vs 2020
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (72% of itemized 2021 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2021 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2021; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: Robert R Fox
Mailing address: 150 North College Street, Charlotte, NC 28255
Phone: (980) 683-9845
Email: robert.r.fox@ustrust.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2021
The largest 2021 recipient was University of South Carolina ($80K). Together the top 10 received $443K.
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 103 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2021, South Carolina recipients received 72% of grant dollars. Recipients in Virginia received 7%, while those in New York and Georgia each received 4%, and those in North Carolina received 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2021 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation gives
- 86% of 2021 grantees were also funded in 2020. Method
- In 2021 it paid out 209% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2021, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2020) to $1.2M (2021). In 2021 it made 51 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina Columbia, SC | General Fund | $80,000 |
| American Red Cross Columbia, SC | General Fund | $50,000 |
| Prisma Health Foundation Columbia, SC | General Fund | $50,000 |
| South Carolina State Museum Columbia, SC | General Fund | $50,000 |
| Welvista Inc Columbia, SC | General Fund | $40,000 |
| Make-a-Wish Foundation Washington, DC | General Fund | $37,500 |
| Central South Carolina Habitat for Columbia, SC | General Fund | $35,000 |
| Healthy Learners - Allendale Allendale, SC | General Fund | $35,000 |
| Intrepid Fallen Hero's Fund New York, NY | General Fund | $35,000 |
| Camp Happy Days Charleston, SC | General Fund | $30,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $9,192,259 | $969,207 | $1,301,712 | $1,186,600 | 51 | $1,186,600 | $53,957 | $567,376 |
| 2020 | $9,524,764 | $1,516,138 | $1,219,972 | $1,079,500 | 52 | — | $326,208 | $488,933 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $567K for 2021 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission is stated in the available filing information. Its 2021 grants included support for organizations whose missions span different services. For example, Welvista says it provides prescription medication to uninsured people and oral health care to low-income children. Camp Happy Days says it provides recreational and therapeutic programs and emotional support for children with cancer and their families. Trident Literacy Association says it works to eliminate adult illiteracy and address generational poverty in the Charleston tri-county region.
Grantmaking
In 2021, the foundation reported 51 grants totaling $1,186,600. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $80,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed grant was $80,000 to the University of South Carolina for its general fund. Other large awards included $50,000 each to the American Red Cross, Prisma Health Foundation, and South Carolina State Museum, and $40,000 to Welvista.
The 2021 filing stated that giving was not restricted to preselected organizations. It requested the purpose of the request and information about the organization’s exempt purpose, and reported no restrictions on awards at that time. The filing said the board met in May and considered requests received in time for the meeting; this describes the 2021 filing’s application cycle and is not a current deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2021 filing listed Martin F Smith, William Smith, Richard Smith, and Rita Caughman as trustees.
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's 2021 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2021 report compensation.
Officers on the 2021 filing
Martin F. Smith
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Richard Smith
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Rita Caughman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
William Smith
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2021. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation
How much does Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation give each year?
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation gave $1.2M across 51 grants in 2021, according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2020 it gave $1.1M across 52 grants.
What is Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2021 was $20,000, and its average grant was $23,267, across 51 grants on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation give grants?
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbia, SC (22 grants), Charleston, SC (3 grants), Lexington, SC (3 grants) and Atlanta, GA (2 grants).
Does Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's 2021 grants with a stated purpose (51 of 51) were for general or operating support, per its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's largest 2021 grantees include University of South Carolina ($80,000), American Red Cross ($50,000) and Prisma Health Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2021 grant dollars.
How large is Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation?
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation reported $9.2M in total assets on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $567K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available filing information. Its 2021 grants included support for organizations whose missions span different services. For example, Welvista says it provides prescription medication to uninsured people and oral health care to low-income children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation?
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3818221. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2021.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2021
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Dorothy D Smith Charitable Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?